Holden Commodore VN Technical Specifications

A small but dedicated team of GM engineers would
dedicate six years to the development of the
VN, travelling over one and a half million kilometers
during testing at GM's Lang Lang faciltiy.

Initially
the plan was to carry over the Nissan 6 cylinder
unit that had proved (somewhat against the odds)
to be a very flexible and smooth power plant.
But this unit lacked one key ingredient Aussie
drivers were rather fond of, plenty of low down
torque (the rising value of the ¥en didn't
help much either).

The US sourced V6 had been
designed to fit transversly into a front-wheel-drive
configuration in Buicks, Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles,
so the Holden engineers were forced to heavily
modify the unit to suit a rear wheel drive configuration.
Amazingly, despite having just on 25% more capacity
than the Nissan 6, the new V6 was 5 kilo's lighter. It
would be the first V6 ever to be manufactured
in Australia.

The V6 was certainly not technically innovative
from a design point, particularly with its overhead
valve layout, but it was endowed with the latest
in electronic gadgetry such as direct fire injection
and electronic engine management. Unfortunatlely
these, combined with a balance shaft and hydraulic
engine mounts, were not enough to prevent the
engine being considered "harsher" than many of
the competitors.

The trusty 5.0 liter V8 was
carried over to the VN, the most significant
improvement being the addition of port fuel injection
for the first time. The VN was a significant
change from the previous (more compact) Commodore's,
and now the General could go head-to-head with
the Blue Oval in the real large car market.

Size,
it seemed, was everything, with the station wagons,
Statesman and Caprice models all now using an
extended wheelbase. However there was still no
panel van, nor a two-door coupe option.

Years of Manufacture: 1988 - 1991

Number Built: 215,180

Price at Introduction:

Commodore Esecutive L6 Manual Sedan:
$20,014

Commodore S L6 Manual Sedan:
$21,665

Commodore SS V8 Manual Sedan:
$25,375

Holden Calais L6: $31,265

Statesman: $39,950

Statesman Caprice: $41,861

Models:

Commodore Executive Sedan

Commodore Executive Station Wagon

Commodore Berlina Sedan

Commodore Berlina Station Wagon

Commodore S Sedan

Commodore SS Sedan

Holden Calais Sedan

VG Utility

VG S Utility

VQ Statesman

VQ Statesman Caprice

Date(s) of Introduction:

August, 1988

Series II with EV6 motor: September,
1989

VQ Statesman & Caprice: 7th March,
1990

VG Utility: 22nd August, 1990

To Identify:

All new longer and more rounded body
shape

Slimline rectangular headlights

Holden badge in centre of grille, except
on Calais which had a seperate badge
incorporated into the bonnet

"The best prestige car... has to go to the Holden Statesman which combines an excellent Independent Rear Suspension for a great level of ride and handling, with that Australian 5 liter fuel injected V8."